


Once Upon A Time

by ThighBoneLulz (reitziluz)



Series: CAT (too, is an acronym) [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Mind Meld, Soulless Pacifist Ending, Spiders, comes also with pictures, comes with a playlist (sort of), the fine line between experimental and gimmicky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-10-14
Packaged: 2018-08-11 19:11:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7904326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reitziluz/pseuds/ThighBoneLulz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You are a great partner.</p><p>The story has come to a close, again. This time… let us end this useless world and move on to the next.</p><p>Or, "Everyone's feelings after the Barrier fell."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Start Menu

**Author's Note:**

> Chara LV1 ???:??  
> Last Home
> 
> Continue Reset
> 
>  

_When Frisk stumbled back to the Surface for the second time, they had dust in their sweater, a flower in their hands and a hand clutching their shoulder._

… but that comes later.

Much, much later.

… probably.

So! Welcome to yet another what-if of Undertale! It’s not an AU (exactly? Is green hair Frisk enough to make it an AU?), but a speculation and an indulgence based on canon and fanon both.

Most of the story will happen five years after the ending. It will take some time to get there...

 

… which ending? Well.

 

This story is not quite as nice as life Underground was. There’s lots of Floweys up on the Surface, after all.

There will be lots and lots of references: less so about other fandoms, but even more about the parts and creations of UT fandom I am fond of. I hope everything due credit ends up credited. For example…

At this point, everybody probably knows Core Frisk, doku’s (dokudoki.tumblr.com) creation. Though, this fic won’t have much multiverse-related things in it, so if you’d be so kind…

… with them, things would have gotten too complicated in ways I do not favor.

…

Things will get complicated, though! (Skating on the line between experimental and gimmicky, my favorite hobby.) And even though I’m the creator, as has been indicated by the dog-ness, I’m not infallible. Or even English-speaking native. So feel free to give advice and correct me.

There are relationships beside the canon ones. This is a family-friendly show! If your family is into shounen anime. … and doesn’t contain small children.

 

The first part of the story is finished, more or less. Chapters ...will be posted.

This is the first and last authorial rambling on this series. In the future, there will only be credits to people who's ideas I have stolen and some content warnings when needed.

 

* * *

 

Next up is… [“An Ending.”](https://youtu.be/l3sJ79C1Zyo)


	2. An Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> * is anyone there…?

It was an ending.

A f o u r t h ending.

The last option.

The one with no backing away.

 

Frisk could feel it the second they stepped out from the still-oppressive shadow of the shattered barrier.

(It wouldn’t linger for long.)

The same sun was setting, same friends followed them. They said the same things, ran in the same directions as always.

But it's not the same.

The first time Frisk had seen the sun again after the long, long day in Underground… Their chest had been filled with feelings less pure and so much more complicated than determination. They had been afraid. Afraid of what it meant to return. What it meant to continue.

 

They had gone back.

Again.

Again.

Yet again.

 

The very first time it had took them – oh, they didn't even remember how many times, to get it right. There had been so many different judgments. Different phone calls. Different rulers, different views on the future. In the end, the result was never any different. They would be back on the flowerbed.

So, when they finally broke the Barrier, well…

It took them at least the same amount of tries and retries until they had explored all the different combinations, all the different ways to get back to the sunset.

Anyone would have started to lose themselves. After all, you are your actions, your limits, the things you would and would not do. At the same time, Frisk had found their core. Their determination, it's true meaning. Curious. Adventurous. Experimentalist. Completionist. Perfectionist. Every single time they took down the barrier, everyone praised their kindness, their good soul. But little by little, their actions didn't stem from such noble things.

 

Then Frisk found me.

That there was still more people to save. More things to do.

(They were glad that their memory always faded, turned into abstract, foggy possibilities and alternatives, when they neared the point of True Reset.)

 

Until they were finally _here_.

This ending… wasn't new.

But it will be.

And it fills them both with determination.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up is... ["Heartache."](https://youtu.be/xflkF-sqNaM)


	3. Heartache

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> * There is only one solution to this.

Exhilarated “nyeh”s echoed from the mountainside, accompanied with “ngahh”s and “kyaa”s. Toriel chuckled silently – if she made a sound right now, it would turn into a sob. Oh, her emotions were running so high, and she had always been weak for children.

Not that any of her child's friends were children in the true sense of the word. (Though she wondered about Sans' brother.) She just was so very, very old.

 

Toriel still remembered the war, it's atrocities, hurts and terrors. She also remembered the brilliance of the sun and how it had felt to be locked away from it's warmth. The last sunset she had seen had been bleak and dusty, and it's dim darkness had lingered ever since. So many had died. And, after, so few had survived the first harsh years (centuries) Underground. Those few who had lived through it all had never left it far behind. How many of them were alive, still? Gerson, at the least. Great-Grandpa Slime. Snuffles, maybe – she had lost contact with so many after her withdrawal. Rockster had lived in the Ruins with her. Who else…?

“Whoops.”

_Asgore._

Of course he was shuffling about, trying to look small. His horns cast long shadows, proud and strong (like he had no right to be, but still was, as it was in his very soul). She hated how she recognized the glitter of forming tears in his eyes, the shine of understanding in them. She hadn't forgiven him yet!

“Uh, should I do something?” he asked, in his helplessly soft way. Toriel just glared at him, until he had the decency to look away with a timid, embarrassed look on his face.

“Well, gotta go!” He barked as he escaped after the others.

 

“Well, everyone seems quite eager to set off”, she sighed as she watched him go. His long, sure stride brought back even more memories of war, memories of loss. The golden wash of the setting sun was bittersweet, and she felt old in the silence.

Frisk stood watching the sun, unmoving. They smiled faintly. Were they a bit pale, or was it just the bright light? Even when shadows were reaching far and the sky was colored with cotton candy and pastels, it was much brighter than anything they had had in the Underground. It painted shadows under Frisk's eyes that made them look older than their few years. Her soul ached at the thought. A child having to grow up so quickly… and the idiot king just kept piling more responsibilities on their small shoulders.

“Frisk...”

She didn't remember much about what had happened. Only feelings and short bursts of magic, impressions of blazing colors. It had reminded her of something, but she couldn't place it anywhere. To think how much it must have taken from them, and how alone they had been… Even she had misjudged everything in her grief, and turned against them. How wrong it was to ask any more from them! And yet, Asgore had rushed ahead with his selfish ideas _again_.

“You came from this world, right..? So you must have a place to return to, do you not?” She asked as lightly as she could. A family, most likely, friends, hopefully, perhaps some purpose or dream. Something had made them determined to get out, after all.

“What will you do now?”

Frisk stared at the setting sun. They were silent for so long Toriel was sure they were just trying to find the kindest words to tell her that they had places to be. They had called her mom (and flirted with her! Such a silly, precious child!) but it was only because they had been lost in a strange new world without anyone to depend on.

“I want to stay with you.”

_Oh._

“What? Frisk…”

She didn't have any more words – she barely could breathe, until it all burst out as breathy laughter. Tears welled in her eyes. Such confident words! No hesitation, voice full of determination. But that was Frisk, wasn't it? Her child was strong, capable, and sure about what they wanted. After all, they had found a way around all obstacles without ever resorting to violence. They had been so determined that she had been sure they would want to move forward and leave the silly old lady with her past hurts behind. That they wouldn't want to be with her after what she had done.

“You really are a funny child. If you had said that earlier, none of this would have happened”, she said, voice thick with emotion.

“It is a good thing you took so long to change your mind. Hee hee hee.” She wiped tears out of her eyes and laughed a little more.

“Well… I suppose”, she sighed. “If you really do not have any other place to go… I will do my best to take care of you, for as long as you need.”

She had been ready to keep them safe, even by force. She was, still, and more – she was ready to give her life if it was needed. She was ready to atone and make anew. In truth, Toriel felt relieved. She could try again. She could fix everything. _She would never abandon them again_.

Their hand felt so small in her furry paw. She squeezed it delicately, mindful of her claws.

“Now, come along. Everyone is waiting for us!”

Frisk squeezed her paw back. Their face lit up with a dazzling smile. It brought color back to their cheeks.

 

But they didn't move.

 

“Mom. Wait.”

Toriel blinked.

“What is it, my child?”

“We should not hurry.” Frisk held on tight. Their smile turned into a serious line.

“How come?” Toriel couldn't help but frown. She was worried. This was – she didn't expect this. Something about that bothered her, but not as much as she was worried about her child. Gently she knelt in front of Frisk so as not to talk down to them.

“Papyrus and everyone else headed forward already. Did you leave something behind, or…?”

Frisk shook their head. No, they hadn't come to the Underground with much, hadn't they? Just a stick and a bandage. (That still horrified her, but it was a matter for a later time, when Frisk felt ready to talk about it.) But she couldn't think of anything else –

“It is not certain… that other humans will understand.”

– and she certainly didn't think they would say anything like that.

With a heavy sigh she placed her hands on Frisk's shoulders.

“Frisk. No matter what Asgore asked of you, you are a child. Such responsibility is much too heavy, even for you. Do not feel that you must make yet another sacrifice for our sake. But if you truly want to help… you won't be alone. Let me, _us_ , handle this.”

She was going to give Asgore hell later. Frisk should have been able to enjoy this happy moment without worries about the future. Still, she put her displeasure aside and smiled to her child.

“Asgore is the king, after all, and I am the queen. We should be the ones to handle any problems our people might face. That's what we have prepared for, what has been our duty all along.”

Frisk grabbed her hands and squeezed them tightly. For a while, they had a look of concentration on their face, like they were debating something with themself. Then they shook their head.

“It is still a bad idea”, they said in a quiet voice. Something in it brought back memories of her children. Especially the resilient child who had craved respect and comfort, but hadn't known what to do with themself when offered either. Toriel squeezed their shoulders reassuringly and settled on to listen what they had to say.

“What do you have in mind, then?”

“We should plan. Be careful.” Frisk nibbled their lower lip and shied away from her gaze. Toriel waited patiently, until they looked in her eyes again.

“It's not a good idea to just rush out. Humans… have forgotten most things about monsters. It'll be a shock, and… humans don't like it when things are different. I should introduce you. Maybe everyone should camp up in the mountains until Asgore or you have settled things? So that nobody is surprised or hurt. Or… gets any wrong ideas about a bunch of monsters and a small kid appearing together.”

The lingering hesitation in their eyes disappeared when she nodded her approval. Frisk was a serious child, mature beyond their years… but it seemed they were only just finding their voice.

“Yes, that would be wise.” Toriel thought about the declaration of war, of just running outside, of how much she still didn't want to forgive Asgore. More than that, she thought of reasons why Frisk had climbed the mountain, memories of her children, and of chosen families.

“Luckily others have not yet made a move to leave the Underground. I think _someone_ should do his duty and address his people, instead of bumbling about.” She smiled conspiratorially. Oh, they loved him too, so she wasn't too harsh on him and kept her tone light and teasing.

 

They shared a knowing look. Frisk giggled and threw themselves against Toriel. She hugged them back.

How strong their soul beat, so full of determination and hope.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of dialogue is lifted word-for-word from the game in this one (as you might have noticed, haha). So not my work. I just spun it further.
> 
> Next up is... ["Star."](https://youtu.be/PkSEgbY_ey4)


	4. Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> * (You hear a passing conversation.)

Papyrus could knock down ceiling stars – he had tried and succeeded many times -- but his bones had no hope of reaching the sun. He still threw his magic towards it while he ran, volleys after volleys of white and blue bones that sparkled against the pink-gold sunset. The sky was truly limitless!

“Papyrus, WAIT!!”

“HURRY, UNDYNE! THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR US!”

The wind! The wind was fresh and cool, not cold and damp like in Snowdin or hot and stuffy like in Hotland. How marvelous! But oh, the world really wasn't waiting. It was already changing on them. Changing! Clouds rolled and colors shifted and trees rustled. Even the sun was already going away, the shadows getting longer and the sky above darker and darker, rich aquamarine and violet. He knew about days and nights, sunrises and sunsets, but it was _so different_ to actually witness it!

“IT'S OUR _OYSTER_ , WHATEVER THAT MEANS! NYEH HEH HEH!”

Papyrus could have ran right to the end of the world. He was very good at running, after all, and so full of energy. The mountain path plunged down to a plateau, where he could see the cliffside they had first come out. The small clearing was enveloped in darkness, as dark as the deepest corners of Waterfall, even darker without the bluish glow. Some small critters were making noise, chirping and calling with voices that didn't echo from the ceilings and walls, but continued to every direction. He swiped the long weeds with both hands as he walked through them. He really, really itched to take off his gloves. And boots! The ground seemed so soft. It was covered in tiny plants _everywhere_.

“Papyrus! Damn, where did you –!?”

Undyne scrambled to the clearing with Alphys in tow. Neither of them could stop smiling. Neither of them said anything as they stopped next to him.

Papyrus didn’t them at that point. His neck was craned and he stood on his tiptoes, because _there they finally were_.

“THE STARS!”

“HECK YEAH!!! We did it!!”

Undyne laughed loudly and threw a victorious pose, her fist high towards the sky. Alphys just clapped her hands, completely speechless. It was incredible! A vast, endless black void of space, and it was absolutely filled to the brim with stars. Each larger than Papyrus could even begin to comprehend, even though they looked like tiny pinpricks! Sans had taught him about the stars, back when he had still read him his favorite science fiction stories. Papyrus remembered all of it, crystal clear. Sans had been so happy reading them...

 

On that same vein, _where –_

“huh, haven't seen that before.”

Papyrus looked down and was met with Sans' grinning face.

“SANS! OH MY GOD! WOULD YOU JUST LOOK AT THEM! THERE'S SO MANY OF THEM!”

“Like WOAH!!” Undyne threw her head back and cackled so hard her shoulders shook wildly. Alphys had sat down and starlight glittered on the streaks of tears on her cheeks. But Sans, Sans was practically vibrating. His grin split his face from earhole to earhole. It looked suspiciously similar to when he had thought of an especially bad pun and could hardly contain it for a second longer.

“yeah, there's way more than in the wishing room. you could say that the amount is pretty… astronomical.”

“OH, SANS…”

Papyrus couldn't be mad. He couldn't even care about preserving his cool image in front of his friends. Sans wasn't even looking at him, he was so enthralled by the night sky. He was happy. Happy and safe – there wasn't anything big or hostile enough anywhere near them to ruin the moment. No duties to perform (or to slack from).

With a sigh Papyrus let himself fall on his back. It was the optimal star-gazing position! The strange, thin plants tickled his bones. The stars were swaying slightly, and there was always more to see, even when he thought he had finally spotted them all. He really had to focus, so that his eyes didn't catch something (like tears) again. It would be such a waste!

“OH, THE BIG ONE IS MY FAVORITE,” Papyrus said and pointed up. Sans chuckled softly.

“pap, that's the moon.”

“WHAT!?!?!! THAT'S the moon!? It looks nothing like how it does in anime!!”

“U-uhm, well, anime is art, so it's portrayals are always stylizations, s-so...”

“I KNOW WHAT THE MOON IS. I MEANT THAT ONE,” Papyrus didn’t bother with being silly and just pointed at the bright star more insistently. “THERE! THAT ONE!”

Undyne gave up first; she was way more interested in the moon. Alphys tried to lean towards him to see it from his perspective, but slowly, awkwardly withdrew when she seemed to realize she was literally leaning her way to the lap of an almost complete stranger Sans kept searching, and eventually sat down next to him. What a patient lazybones to have as a brother.

“huh. i think that's sirius. the dogstar.”

“THE DOGS HAVE THEIR OWN STAR ALREADY??”

“WHAT!? I need to tell 'em right away!!” With that, Undyne took off with maximum speed. She couldn't find the path in the dark, but that didn't slow her down. Alphys cringed when a tree crashed and fell, and took off after her.

“U-Undyne, wait –!”

 

So the skeleton brothers were left alone, side by side, under the stars. Some strange beast kept calling with its flute-like voice. Sans sighed and leaned against him. Papyrus could feel something building up in the silence.

Finally Sans chuckled. It sounded more like a sigh.

“heh… i really didn't expect to ever get to this point,” Sans said, his voice heavy. It wasn't how one should sound like when they achieved their dream. … Well, it wasn't either of their personal dream, but a dream of the whole monsterkind, so it was also their dream. Sans was fast getting into one of his heavy, silent _moods_. The ones he thought Papyrus never noticed.

“I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, NEVER DOUBTED IT!” He shouted suddenly. That was what Sans had taught him to do. When things seemed hard, when you couldn't be and feel your best, you kept on trying anyway, until you really were. Also, Sans was happy when he was happy, and could find strength when he had his silly little brother to tend to, so...

“IN FACT! I'M STILL ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT THAT I WILL REACH MY DREAM OF POPULARITY EVEN WITHOUT THE ROYAL GUARD! NOW THAT I HAVE REAL STARS TO MAKE MY WISH TO! YES, IT WILL BE OPTIMAL TO WISH IT FROM THE DOG STAR, AS DOGS ARE EXCELLENT GUARDS AND IT SHOULD STILL AT LEAST TANGENTIALLY COUNT!!”

This time Sans' chuckle sounded more like it should. Hearty and warm.

“then i'll wish from it that my 'dogs will sell well on the surface.”

“SANS PLEASE DON'T CHEAPEN MY GESTURE.”

“nothin' _cheap_ about it, 'cept the price of my 'dogs. ”

“ _SANS_. ”

“hey, it just makes _cents_. there must be as many 'dogs in the surface as stars in the sky. ”

“SANS YOU MAKE IT VERY HARD TO LOVE YOU. BUT I STILL DO, BECAUSE I'M THE GREATEST BROTHER YOU COULD HAVE. WHICH MEANS THE GREATEST IN THE WHOLE WORLD, AS YOU’RE RATHER GREAT YOURSELF.”

“heh, that you are, paps. love ya too.”

Papyrus discreetly glanced at his brother. Sans was looking up to the stars. His eyesockets were filled with starlight and nothing else. He was silent in a way only he managed to be: overly mysterious. The silence just screamed that there was something on his mind, but simultaneously radiated that feeling of when asked, he would give a non-answer. Or worse, make _puns_ until Papyrus gave up.

So he waited.

“but the kid really is something”, Sans sighed eventually. “i don't even remember anything after that weed turned up.”

“IT MUST HAVE BEEN VERY IMPORTANT WORLD-SAVING DESTINY BUSINESS.”

“yeah. that weed… was no good.”

“IT REALLY GOT US WITH THAT DASTARDLY CUNNING PLAN,” Papyrus said as dissapprovingly as he could. Flowey. He wasn't thinking about Flowey now. He wasn't going to let small details like betrayals and broken friendships ruin this moment.

“FORTUNATELY FRISK WASN'T FOOLED! THEY WERE ALWAYS EXTREMELY PERCEPTIVE. AFTER ALL, THEY MANAGED TO EVEN FIND THE SECRET OF MY DATING OUTFIT IN ONE GO, AND I HAD HID IT RATHER INGENIOUSLY.”

“yeah, but ya know. makes you feel like… it's not your victory, or something.”

Oh, did he know! He had to come up with an entirely new plot line dream to work for! Or he’d have to form a completely new Royal Guard. Maybe Lady Asgore would be willing to have a Queen's Guard? One that was made out of mascots for the monsterkind, as he had that duty to fulfill, too. But silliness aside, he knew what Sans was talking about. After trying to make a difference and hold on to hope for so long… and then a human just waltzed in, befriended and bedazzled everyone, and then took down the barrier. If he had known how things would turn out, he would have taken everything much more seriously from the start! But all is well that ends well, as they say, so he pondered his words for a moment.

“TRULY, IT'S ALMOST AS IF THIS ALL IS JUST A CONSTELLATION PRIZE.”

It took Sans some time, but then he snorted.

“ahaha, oh my god, that was a good one.”

Papyrus' chest welled with pride. There was a time and place for puns. When Sans needed cheering, was one of them.

“WORRY NOT, BROTHER DEAREST. EVERYTHING WILL TURN OUT FINE. I'LL MAKE SURE OF IT.”

Sans didn't say anything, but Papyrus knew without looking that he was smiling his real smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Papyrus has been greatly and positively influenced by the sad papy gang, which I stumbled upon in [here.](http://papyrus-knows.tumblr.com)
> 
> Next up is... ["Snowdin Town."](https://youtu.be/z6LmMCuGjfA)


	5. Snowdin Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> * The sight of such a friendly town fills you with determination.

“Listen, punks! This might be our most important mission yet!” Undyne shouted as she kicked Grillby's door open. She then turned around and closed the door very, very gently, as the temperature inside the bar was uncomfortably close to Hotland heat. Snowdin’s cold sucked, but she didn’t mean to make Grillby flare like that. He still flickered somewhat when she patted apologies to the door with great enthusiasm, but eventually continued with emptying the bar.

“As I was saying! We have a MISSION!!”

All the guard Dogs were squeezed around one table, all of their snouts turned towards her. (The bar was empty, but old habits die hard.) Endogeny was with them, and their leaking hole seemed to stare into Undyne’s soul. She regarded them with a brisk nod and then BLAM! Slammed her fist on the table!!

“The Royal Guard  _will_ be disbanded, but it’s OUR responsibility to keep all monsters safe until we’re settled on the Surface! This starts with us making everyone stay CALM and PUT until Asgore can do his kingly speech about the departure!!”

She was answered with excited barks and tail waggles. Only Doggo moved his dog treat from one corner of his mouth to the other, and squinted at her.

“So, you mean to say, the King just ordered us to stay put?” he growled. “No moving! At all. Even though the world is finally open again? And there’s supposed to be a Dog Star out there?”

Dogaressa put her paw on his shoulder.

“(No need to argue.) We are curious too.”

The Dogi shared a look around the bar. News about the hold-up hadn’t spread yet, so everyone had rushed to pack or celebrate. Otherwise there would have been some pretty pissed off folks disrupting their meeting. Nowt it was just Grillby, and he was a tight-lipped guy. Undyne waited, until the Dogi turned back to her, even though she could feel from their magic and their worried frowns what they were about to say.

“How are we supposed to make them stay? (Now that the Barrier is broken, everyone wants out.)”

“I feel you. I feel you SO MUCH. There was supposed to be fights with GIANT ROBOTS WITH SWORDS. I wanted that. For years, I looked forward to that.” Undyne hit the table again for emphasis, deep and complex feelings welling in her soul.

“Turns out, anime isn’t real, and even though humans aren’t all bad, we never officially ended the first war.”

Undyne slammed her hands on Doggos shoulders.

“Guard Doggo. I feel your passion. We just need to make sure everyone stays safe, nobody does anything stupid and the king gets to say his piece before everybody decide to scatter to all directions. That clear?”

Doggo nodded. Greater Dog yipped an affirmative. Even Endogeny slobbered something that amounted to a “yes”, even though they weren’t an official part of the Guard (yet). ((Anymore??))

“GOOD! I have 01 and 02 in charge of Hotland, and Gerson has unretired to organize the Guard in Waterfall. King needs me personally in New home, so your mission is to keep peace here. Dogamy, Dogaressa, you’ll take the Snowdin proper. Greater and Lesser, you patrol the outer caves. Doggo, you are to escort and assist Queen Toriel in the Ruins. Endogeny, you can join me or anyone else. I should NOT need to remind you this is Official King’s Orders, so you need to be on your best! Everything clear!?”

 

This time all of them barked a yes sir to her.

 

“Then you're dismissed! Let's DO this!!” Undyne clenched her fists and punched one of them towards the door. The dogs saluted her and then rushed out boofing and barking. She was so filled with their PASSION she almost, almost punched the table again. Instead, she unfurled her fingers and patted the worn wood.

“The last mission of the Guard”, she said and traced scuffs, scratches, dents and rings left by glasses on the table. She hadn’t spent all that much time in Snowdin before Frisk had came and changed so many things. It was so cold it sucked, and Grillby’s tended to be way too hot to spent any time in it! Usually she had just stayed in the Inn. (Though, looking back, she could’ve stayed at Papyrus’, now that she thinks about it.) She had usually just dropped by. Spent ust enough time to check on the stations, kick the dogs out from Grillby’s and get their reports. Or, in Papyrus’ brother’s case, make him write the last month’s worth of reports.

Yeah, she hadn’t really spent any time here, but she could see that the dogs, really just everyone in Snowdin,  _had_ , and for a  _reason._

“Hey Grillby. Thanks for all these years”, she turned to say to the barkeep. His flames flickered in a way that seemed sort of startled or confused. Undyne threw her head back and laughed.

“Helping Papyrus with his brother, letting us use your table for our meetings – no need to be so modest!”

Grillby gestured something she didn’t catch. He repeated it, and then sighed when she still kept on giving him her most dedicated “I’m listening to you even though I didn’t quite get it” stare.

“………… well done”, Grillby whispered with his smoky voice. She heard his feelings loud and clear even without the thumbs-up – but she did it with both hands right back at him.

“YEAH! Surface, here we come! To NEW bars and memories!”

She just couldn’t stop the table slam this time, she couldn’t! It was so forceful she could just ride the momentum and ended up crouching on top of the bar.

“But hey!” She pointed at Grillby. “You too, stay put and watch the news! This move will be PEACEFUL and SAFE, okay!?”

Grillby saluted her and continued with packing things into a box. Huh, now that she was watching closer, he wasn’t packing alcohol or glasses. The bar was pretty much empty already, after all. Instead, he was packing… tiny lunchboxes?

“What’s that? Can I help?? I LOVE cooking!!”

Grillby looked at her and slowly shook his head. Ah, drats, what a shame.

“….. there’s one thing.”

“Alright!! I’m all ears!”

“…….. could you….. take this…… to the limousine?”

She blinked.

Oh.

Oh!

The box was filled with spiders. Spider families. They seemed to be having a party with their tiny spider ciders and Grillby’s food. Hey, Alphys had talked about that one monster that Mettaton had had some kind of business with – warned her about not walking into the café without any money. Muffet! Yeah, she had been working on something that needed some massive fundraising. The pink and black MTT brand limousine waiting on the edge of Snowdin must have been a part of that.

“Consider it done!” She tucked the box under her arm.

“You too, good Spiders! Stay put and tell Ms. Muffet to stay put, too! Everything’ll be clear after the King has said his piece!!!”

All of the spiders stopped to cheer, wiggling their many, many legs and throwing tiny confetti towards Undyne’s face.

“THAT’S the SPIRIT!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (If anyone can kindly direct me to the epistolary fic where Muffet gets some spiders to work in Grillby's I'd be very thankful. I need to credit that one. ... even though I think they were in the Surface in that one.)
> 
>  
> 
> Next up is... ["Balloon."](https://youtu.be/LnwF4GRB5vE)


	6. Balloon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young people always laugh innocently  
> Reality reflected within their eyes  
> Adults always laugh deceptively  
> The truth hidden within their eyes

“Alphys dearie, you do know I could do that for you~”

She almost dropped her toolkit (for the third time).

“N-no, it's fine, Mettaton. You should still take it easy. I-I will give the announcement. Um. Soon.”

Alphys hid behind piles of parts and empty ramen cups. Socially nervous, as always. She was procrastinating. This time she had a rather good excuse, mandated by the Queen herself, of all monsters. She had came up with six different, improved assistant drone designs already, and the machine she was putting together was looking absolutely beautiful. Truly one of her better ones – both as her work and excuses went.

Mettaton hummed loudly and initiated the broadcast anyway. It had took some getting used to, but nowadays he couldn’t imagine living without his add-ons!

Alphys didn't notice one of her little flying cameras zooming in on her face. It was scrunched up in concentration, tip of her tongue sticking out a bit as she was adjusting the rotors.

“GREETINGS, BEAUTIES!” Mettaton boomed and stuck one leg high in the air. The camera flitted to him, adoring his curves and glamour for a while before panning out to show the both of them. Alphys had petrified in her seat, but the shot was so good – the diligent (Ex-)Royal Scientist surrounded by her work and accompanied by her greatest creation!

“This is a _special announcement_ starring your favorite _EX-killer robot_! As you can see, our darling _Ex-_ _Royal Scientist_ – oh, we really are having a theme going tonight! – Dr. Alphys is working hard to complete the special request from the king! What is that, you ask? Let me let _you_ in on some special information! King Asgore is giving a speech in two hours in New Home! You should get there, or get in front of your TV to know everything about the Barrier, the surface and future of monsterkind! Ooh la la~, how intrigueing~! Alphys, do you have a comment for all twelve of our devoted viewers?”

Alphys paled to a sickly, lemony hue and scrambled to look what she thought was more presentable, but actually still screamed plain nervous wreck. Oh darling! She was oozing competence and reliability when she worked, but put a camera on that girl and she just melted!

“M-Mettaton! Why did you – o-o-o-oh no, u-um, s-sorry, just… please be patient and wait for King Asgore's speech, o-okay?”

Ah, that just didn’t make the cut. Mettaton slid over to Alphys – into the frame of the camera that had closed up on the scientist when she had started talking – and struck a pose.

“But doctor Alphys! How in Earth will we be able to wait when our souls are shivering with antici –” He paused to do a little moveset familiar from his lives and ended it with a daring pose, “– pation?”

“U-uhm, I-I mean…?”

“Worry not, beauties! We will have a two hour special “ _Live Report with an EX Killer Robot_ ” just for you, my loyal fans! Let’s start it with our very own Doctor Alphys explaining all about her current work to make the transition to the Post-Barrier life smoother and safer for all of us!”

Alphys stammered and stuttered, until she finally forgot about the camera and started geeking out about her engineering. She was such a hardworking genius, wasn’t she? She had fixed him up and given him a new power source in a SNAP! And now she was giving him plenty of time to send out his magic Mini Classic Mettas™ to get some opinions and reactions from ordinary monsters lined up, maybe a short greeting from the king or the queen, maybe a compilation of Frisk’s adventures…

Just then, Undyne barged in and Mettaton finally got his lovely Alphyne kiss on the screen – and how lucky, it’s his preferred “Uniform and Engine Grease” -option! Alas, it was time to take the show on the road and leave the lovebirds handle their duties. Just a final shot of Endogeny being all cuddly and cute, oozing multipup that they were, and he marched out from the labs.

Alphys would get weepy about the Amalgamates (when would she recognize them as the miracles they were?) like she always did, and tears weren’t what the audience needed right now! They needed joy and excitement – but in appropriate doses for calm waiting.

 

He knew _just_ the person to balance things _perfectly_.

 

 

“After the break we’ll hear out all those whose voices have been previously neglected in telling the Great Journey of the Human Frisk! Stay on the channel, my beauties, we’ll be back shortly!”

Mettaton struck one more pose before ushering the camera bot to the sidelines. He needed his entrance to MTT hotel lobby be absolutely beautiful, with him in the center of the doorway in a compelling arrangement.

“……… mettaton?” Napstablook nearly faded through the floor. They had been floating in the corner, just where he had left them. Other monsters had disappeared. Well, everyone but his most loyal workers, who must have known what is best for them. Mettaton decided to pay them no mind, and instead beamed at Napstablook.

“Blooky, dear! I need you to come with me, okay?”

They faded a bit more, and Mettaton cursed internally. He strut his way to the corner and sat down with a flourish. Napstablook stared to middle distance, completely locked up. How did he keep repeating his mistakes? It all was a bit much, wasn’t it? He’d just wanted to make sure they’d be out at the same time, and… oh, excuses were the opposite of beauty!

“Oh, darling. No, I didn’t mean to – ah, I’m… sorry,” Mettaton sighed. He coiled his arms around Blooky, who played along and didn’t phase through them. They leaned their head towards him, returning the hug the ghost way.

“oh… it’s okay……..”

“Well then!” Mettaton smiled. “Would it be okay if you helped me with my show?”

Now Blooky faded a bit and floated down in his arms.

“………………… oh no………………. i’d just ruin it………………….”

“Oh, no, nonsense! I just need you to be there! Balance the energy!”

“……………………. oh……… okay then…….. i guess…?”

“Great! Then, follow me!” Mettaton sprang up and stretched his arms up, then folded them behind his head. Just a short pose, and he started walking through the MTT complex, long strides firmly set towards the Core. Napstablook floated just behind him. They were quiet all the way to the long elevator.

“uh…. where are we going…?”

“The Surface, of course!”

………………………. oh, of course.”

Mettaton was sure that nobody would even try to stop him. Before he had been famous, he’d already known that you could get in about anywhere if you just walked in confidently, like you had some business in there. Now he _was_ famous, too, so it would be a cakewalk!

“… i have never been…. you know…. on the surface… …..…. what’s it like?”

“Wonderful!” Mettaton watched the floor numbers slowly climb up. “At least that’s what Alphys said.”

“…… you’ve never been….?”

Mettaton laughed.

“Of course not! When would I have had the time? Before At first I was going through reparations, then I had to load my new power source, and then I was with you.”

“………………. sorry.”

That made him flinch.

“No, Blooky, I didn’t – you know, it’s not – ah, we’re here.”

Elevator doors opened to New Home, and the cousins slipped out and through the commotion, all the way to the throne room and beyond it, to a cave neither of them had never seen before.

Blooky floated in silence. They were a bit transparent, but kept steadily to his pace.

Luckily King Asgore wasn’t there. He had left a note, apparently he was busy composing his speech. The sounds of Undyne’s guards doubling their numbers in the castle. (He would never admit it, but at that moment he felt that his heels were a bit too loud.)

 

And then, there it was.

 

It wasn’t yet morning.

 

“………………… um……………… can the show wait for a while……….?”

Mettaton didn’t remember how to speak. He couldn’t even remember how to make his body draw in air for speaking.

“Yes. Absolutely,” Mettaton finally breathed.

It was. Well. It was something completely new. And yet, it felt nostalgic.

“Want to lay down and feel insignificant instead?”

Like something he had lost a long time ago.

“I mean, for a while. We do have to get back to the show eventually.”

He needed to cherish this.

“….. yes.”

No, he needed to cherish those close to him. Especially those lying down on grass with him under the real starry sky.

If it happened to make a fantastic visual to start the next section of his show, well, that was just extra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up is... "[Bergentrückung](https://youtu.be/YivzBeEwzWI)".


	7. Bergentrückung

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> * (It seems your journey is finally over.)

“Tori-”

“Toriel.”

“Toriel.” Asgore nodded gravely. “I know it is much too soon to ask, but I, no, everyone needs you. As you said, Frisk cannot yet fulfill such heavy duties alone. Someone needs to –“

“No, Asgore.” Toriel sipped her tea. Her tone wasn’t unkind. “You have yet again failed to consider all the options available. I believe we do have a mascot who’s perfectly capable of helping you.”

Ah, Sans’ brother. He had immediately stepped up as a volunteer, and seemed Sans’ opposite in most everything. He would be eager to help in this, too – much like all Frisk’s friends had already helped him while smiling.

“Still, we also need someone to take care of all monsters when we start the move.”

“He seems to be perfectly capable of mothering others.”

“Yes, but he is too kind. Toriel. You know how it was. How it could be, again.”

That made Toriel pause. Asgore noticed it, even though she tried to hide it behind a long sip of tea.

“… bringing that up is dirty, Dreemurr, and you know it.” He felt her pain as his own. It was also his, but he wasn’t fool enough to fish for cheap sympathy when he had no real right to even face Toriel.

“But you’re still the only one I could trust with my people.”

This time Toriel didn’t bother hiding her cold silence. Asgore sipped his tea. It was growing cold, but it was still sweet.

“… we do not need to be even friends ever again, if that is what you wish. If you are never again ready to be around me, it is alright, Toriel. I wouldn’t… that is to say, I only hope to put aside our personal feelings in matters of the crown. Not for my sake, but for all of monsterkind.”

They had separated what felt like ages ago, but a part of them would never let go, no matter the distance between them. They had a long shared history, but more than that they had shared their souls, and that wasn’t a connection that one could break.

“… I guess you cannot make miracles undone. Fine.” She sighed. “A work-only relationship. I will help you, so drink your tea and go give that speech, Asgore.”

 

Asgore would have been lost without Toriel.

That just went without saying, didn’t it?

She wouldn’t forgive him for a long, long time, if ever. Somehow her anger was what he needed, and her prickly words ended up being just the thing to help him keep him smiling serenely at his subjects when the time of his speech came.

No one needed to know about the shards of soul containers in his room.

After Frisk’s feat the souls had been gone, all six of them. At last, they had been freed from their artificial suspension between life and death. He regretted never making his choice. Oh, Frisk had been right – they had done what was just and fair. No, what was _kind_. Meanwhile, he had waited and hesitated, until the decision had been taken away from his hands. That might have been just what he had wished for, but…

He really was an irresponsible oaf, wasn’t he? Entrusting such a heavy burden on someone so young.

No, he needed to lead his people. Keep their hopes soaring as high as the sky on the surface.

 

He took a deep breath.

 

“Dear monsters.”

Asgore held the microphone carefully in his paw and gave a firm look both to his audience and Alphys' camera. It wasn't the first time his speech was broadcasted but this time he had to pause to steady his voice.

Well, barriers didn't break and millenias of imprisonment didn't end every day, so it was most likely natural to feel… well, nervous, on top of everything else weighing on his soul.

Frisk had helped him craft his speech under Toriel’s supervision. It was simple, in a way. They just needed to understand, that they couldn’t rush out. They needed to plan it, move carefully and be ready to survive on their own – humans had always been slow in their decision-making, and it seemed to have only gotten worse.

It was a rather brief list of points. Tell the Guard if you wished to leave immediately, or if you were fine with waiting, or if you wished to stay. Those most eager to leave would be led out in groups, starting from the Ruins. Pack only what you need, as there will be chances to retrieve things later.

He would leave with the last group. Then they would contact humans and initiate peace negotiations with them. He would take all responsibility for the missing children, or any lingering grudges from the War. (He would protect them against all the things he feared to happen, be it violence, extortion, denial or even war, but he wouldn’t voice those fears, not when they were still just paranoia and distant thoughts.)

 

So many heavy topics.

Better start it with a lighter note. This moment should be filled with happiness and hope, not worry. He could bury his regrets somewhere unseen for a little longer.

 

“I, King Fluffybuns...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up is... ["Memory."](https://youtu.be/eijdNQMYikY)


	8. Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> * The serene sound of a distant music box…

Thirty journals.

It was a couple more than Sans had expected.

 

Sans had avoided packing up the basement right to the last second. Well, he had procrastinated all packing, but it wasn’t like he had all that many things worth keeping. Papyrus had helped him organize his sock collection and then kept on nagging kindly until Sans managed to pack his things into two duffel bags. Paps had pretty much done everything. He’d stripped the house bare and produced a mountain of neatly stacked boxes inside a sparkling clean husk of their former life.

Sans hadn’t cleaned his room, he had standards to keep. Papyrus didn’t clean it, because he had to draw his limits somewhere. One of those limits was drawn firmly to the basement door.

It wasn’t that Sans was possessive about the basement. It was his, like the shed was Papyrus’, but it was less his own space and more like his responsibility. He’d share it with people he could trust. The kid had been there, he was pretty sure about it. No, Paps just hated going down there, so he couldn’t even cheer his big bro when he faced the stale air and old files he had been avoiding for a while.

There was supposed to be just a dingy photo album, couple of journals filled with nonsense and maybe two or three mementos to consider taking to the Surface. Maybe a notebook or some papers he had forgotten. That seemed to be the norm, the basement always surprised him. At the same time, it didn’t.

This time, too, he felt he should be more surprised. Well. There had been something he had forgotten, alright. Whole thirty of ‘em. He pulled the thick, leather bound journals one by one from the drawer and stacked them into a wobbly tower.

“eh, in the box you go, i guess.” Sans shrugged. It felt wrong to leave them behind when he didn’t know if they were important or not. Not like he had time to decipher them right now. Leafing through a few of them told him pretty much nothing. They were filled in tiny handwriting, that was often smudged or faded. Worse of all, it was literal handwriting, some kind of code with tiny symbols that he could barely make out when he squinted. At least no one could spy on them, eh?

To be honest, something about it jogged his memory. Sans scratched his skull and leafed back to the first page of the journal he was holding. On it, there was some writing in a bigger hand. Huh, four words, two short and then two longer… could it be…?

“SANS?”

Papyrus shouted through the door. It startled Sans, and he snapped the journal shut.

“yea, bro?”

“AREN’T YOU DONE YET?? THE RIVERPERSON IS HERE ALREADY AND I DON’T WANT TO MAKE THEM WAIT.”

Sans laughed. He tossed the journal with the others.

“coming, paps. just a sec.”

He could hear the doubting huff Papyrus made. Ouch. Well, he deserved it, but still.

“I’M MAKING THEM SOME TEA. TRY TO BE A LITTLE LESS LAZY ABOUT THIS ALL.”

“aye aye, pap.”

Sans proceeded to half-assedly rifle through the basement. He didn’t bother closing all the drawers or tidying up. The place would be abandoned anyway, why bother? Instead he picked up some blueprints, a badge, some loose photos and knickknacks that seemed interesting enough to keep to fill the box. He found a spiffy watch and strapped it on his wrist. It was ridiculously futuristic and completely useless, with several nonsensical strings of numbers on it’s digital face.

Before taping the box shut he took a last peek around. It was nostalgic. He had really put in some serious hours here, studying mysterious research notes and working on the machine. Or something like that, he didn’t actually remember much. He had been worse than he was now, back then.

Under its sheet, the mystery machine was still burnt to crisp and dead as a rock. When he looked under the sheet, he got the same old uneasy feeling as always. Like when you stare in a mirror in the dark for too long. Your features would seem to shift and shimmy around. You’d start seeing things that weren’t really there. Things that would never be there.

“SANS!! REMEMBER, YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO PACK, NOT NAP!”

“i’m coming!” Sans shouted back, but kept still. He stared at the machine and scratched his ribs. Something felt wrong, like an injury that didn’t heal right. After all, he hadn’t been able to fix anything.

“SANS WHATEVER YOU MIGHT BE DOING DOESN’T SEEM TO INCLUDE COMING HERE! SO MAKE HASTE MAYBE??”

“okay, you got me! i’m coming now.”

Sans reached his hand to pat the machine before lowering the sheet again only to be stung. Skeletons could stand cold pretty well, but the metal was freezing. Thank god it wasn’t enough to do damage, but it sure hurt like hell. Sans hissed and stepped back.

“oh shit, what the –?”

He barked a laugh. What had went into him? Damn. He knew better than to touch it. Stupid machine. Sans kicked it lightly and cursed again as his toes froze even through the slippers.

“what the – okay, I don’t even wanna know,” he muttered to himself as he wandered back to the drawers to check them one last time. “just get it over with, otherwise this place will keep screwing with your head, sansy boy.”

Of course something slipped out from under one of the drawers. Of course there had been more things he had forgotten. Just a slip of paper, probably just some more trash to leave behind, it’d probably be empty or filled with some of his old calculations –

A drawing.

A… memory?

It looked like Paps’ old drawings. He had drawn a lot back… then. Usually real colorful stuff, cars and heroes and flowers. This one had lots of black crayon on it. Something… angry about the lines. And _that_ , on the backside – well, that was Sans’ handwriting all right.

 

Guess he was shit at keeping promises to himself, too.

 

"SANS. YOU LAZYBONES. ARE YOU – ARE YOU _NAPPING_?? "

Papyrus didn't come down the stairs (he never did) but his long shadow was cast to the basement wall. Sans folded the drawing into his pocket and lifted the box. He didn’t look back when he climbed the stairs. On the top stair he was pretty sure his fingers were falling off.

"geez papy, give me a break – i've worked myself to the bone."

"OH, MY GOD. I'M LEAVING YOU BEHIND,” Papyrus declared as he took over and lifted the box effortlessly on his shoulder.

“nah, you won’t.”

“OF COURSE I WON’T. YOU’RE MY BEST BROTHER, AFTER ALL. AND IT DOESN’T EVEN HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT YOU’RE MY ONLY BROTHER.”

Sans wiped his forehead and smiled. Whatever forgotten things were in those journals couldn’t beat this reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up is... ["Last Continue."](https://youtu.be/jAuMlxQgGhg)


	9. Last Continue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is because I thought I must do something,  
> That my worn-out heart is connected with yours.
> 
> It would be great if I could go back to that day.

S ome s eventy thousand souls, and no w he had none.

It didn't even feel bad.

He felt n o t h i n g.

 

Flowey remembered everything. Every second of it. How much power he had held, the weight of his body, all those _feelings_. He could play it over and over in his mind. How he had come to certain… conclusions, how some things had just been inevitable. How hot tears had felt, how warm a hug had been.

It had happened.

None of it remained.

He considered himself lucky that Frisk had left him alone after that last bit of sugary sentimentality. They would miss a person he wasn’t. Like Toriel had, and still missed. He had looked in the shadows when she stopped by the flowers for the last time. She had talked to the both of them. Empty words. Empty like the Ruins.

Everyone had left. There wasn’t a monster who would stay behind, nobody was silly enough to even consider it! They had repeated the king’s words like Echo Flowers until they were meaningless babble. They were lucky they got to leave first, otherwise Flowey wouldn’t have been able to restrain himself. They needed to be shown how conceited they all were! They were freed from both the Barrier and the endless loops of SAVE and RESET, and they still dared to be so predictable, still fail in the exact same ways as before.

He should be glad for the peace and quiet. He had the flower patch all to himself. No more human children waking up in there. No more hiding from Toriel as she made her rounds. No more distractions – neither smiley trashbag or gullible Papyrus believing him to be his friend, waiting for him to appear. No more playing around with the lives of those sad, predictable little puppets.

Slowly, the Underground was becoming as empty as he was.

 

The golden flowers were in full bloom. Only few were bruised from Frisk’s fall. Their roots were still wrapped around a small body.

He hadn’t felt Chara among all those souls. He would have recognized it instantly even among the maelstrom of (most) all monster souls and the bright burn of the six human souls. Their soul must have passed along with his.

“Hah, who’s pathetic now?” he muttered. “You humans were supposed to be near indestructible. Even Frisk could refuse to disappear. But here we are, a monster still living on even without a soul, and you’re just gone!”

Flowey flinched when he realized how loud his voice had gotten. When nothing happened (no-one reached out to twist his ears and demand apology) he slowly unfurled his petals. The flowers were still glowing in the sun, mute and unmoving.

They would wither now, as time finally marched on. Flowey sneered.

“I don’t miss you,” he hissed. It was true. Chara had been his world. They had died together. But he didn’t feel anything. He had looked for a shadow of them in Frisk purely because the world had become so _boring_.

“I don’t miss any of you.”

He remembered being afraid. Thinking about how it would be like dying again, how he’d be losing himself. How lonely and sad he would be, when everyone left him behind. Well, here he was, still around! It didn’t seem such a big deal from this side. It wasn’t like his consciousness had ended or his personal timeline had been broken. Nope! Just the same old Flowey the Flower who didn’t miss any of those useless clods!

He just didn’t know what to do.

He had made himself things to do, before. Found ways to entertain himself. His thoughts, intelligence, his _mind_ was still there, after all – he would still get bored, frustrated, excited and curious. He'd usually find some things he would want over the others, and with SAVE and LOAD he'd learned to just go with his whims. It shouldn’t be too different now, even though there were no more re-dos or puppets to play with. He'd be left all alone, boo hoo hoo. It'd be boring, but were the monsters any less boring? He knew everything about them already. Could predict their every move. Tch. Here or there, nothing mattered.

At least now he could watch the seasons change.

 

“What a joke.”

The flowers didn’t answer.

It was useless. Nothing would change for him even if the loops had really ended. He seriously doubted that – all these new things could still just be repeats. He had decided to beg for his memories to be erased with this timeline if they decided to go back, after all. He couldn’t do any of this again if he knew it had happened before. He wouldn’t be able to try again when he knew it was useless. When he’d had almost as much determination as a human, as _Frisk_ , and hadn’t really gone anywhere or reached anything.

Maybe he was a predictable puppet to them. Someone whose entertainment value would be quickly exhausted after a few LOADs. One that didn’t even know what he wanted.

 

Useless.

Like that stupid smile…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second to last.
> 
> There is [an illustration](https://thiswholeblogisjustoneutfic.tumblr.com/post/151534532258/you-cant-miss-anyone-if-youre-d-e-a-d-you) on tumblr. It contains (mild) gore. Take care.
> 
> Next up is... ["Last Goodbye."](https://youtu.be/5P8V4mP5RLg)


	10. Last Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Incredible work. Somewhere, felt a door opening…!

They were among the first group to leave the Underground for good.

 

It wasn’t just monsters from the Ruins. The procession was lead by Toriel and a selection of guard dogs. Doggo was at the queen’s heel while Greater and Lesser chased Alphys’ little drones buzzing ahead an back, scouting the route and keeping the herd of moldsmals together.

Frisk walked carefully down the mountain path. It wasn’t the one they had climbed up, but they still knew it was filled with loose stones and slippery patches of grass. They were holding hands with Gerson. The old turtle was one of the monsters granted permission to leave with the first group even though they were supposed to go later. (Pretty much all of them were old people.) His pace was slow not only because of his age, but also because his clouded eyes were glued to the sky. Frisk pretended not to notice that he was weeping silently, and just held onto his hand gently.

“It’s so – so wonderful.”

“Oh, I can’t wait to see the real stars…”

“Now we truly can have hope.”

A group of whispering whimsuns passed them. Most of them seemed as terrified as they were excited, but one of them slowed down to bow thanks to Frisk.

“Wow, you can feel the sun! So warm!” A Loox laughed and shoved his friend Migosp, who laughed with him.

“Ribbit, ribbit.” (It’s a wonderful world out here.) A froggit hopped alongside them for a while before bouncing ahead.

Everyone loved them. They were grateful, and expressed it every chance they got, be it with kind words or smiles brighter than the sunlight. Frisk held on to Gerson’s hand and smiled.

They were the Underground’s prophesied angel.

...

It would be so _easy_.

And yet.

Frisk pulled their hand out of their pocket.

The weight of the knife was reassuring.

But this time they would not use it.

 

They had, countless times before. On pretty much everyone. Even under the sun.

First time it had been an accident. They had misunderstood monsters. Flowey had made them suspicious, and then they had been attacked. It took them many RESETs to find peaceful solutions to all their fights. (They had tried to avoid them completely, but that never worked.) After that it had been a combination of boredom and frustration. There was only so much they could do in that limited timespan they had, and none of lead into truly saving everyone. And the prophesy had another interpretation…

After that, it had been another round of testing all the variables with no new results.

Then, revenge and pettiness.

Then they had nearly messed up.

There was a limit to what they could do after the Barrier was broken. Once they had come close to making an irreversible choice without any consideration, or even noticing it was happening. Time had ticked on and on _and on_ and it had been at the very last second when they had realized what had been happening. They ditched the dust-filled gray world and made it back to the golden flowers shaken to their soul.

It was happening again – and so much sooner, always sooner than the time before – but this time they were waiting for it.

As the day had progressed, they had felt themselves get more and more groudned in the present. Possibilities fizzed and snapped and popped and faded. There were faint visions of new bars and red cars and pie left to wait in a small, cozy room – of blood and dust and crossed-out photographs. All that, destabilized and scrambled up into an unsure future.

 

They had, countless times before. On pretty much everyone. Even under the sun. Once, they had nearly messed up. Gotten close to making an irreversible choice without ever noticing. Time had ticked on and on _and on_ and it had been at the very last second that they had become aware of what had been happening. They ditched the dust-filled gray world and made it back to the golden flowers.

It was happening again – and so much sooner, always sooner than the time before – but this time they were waiting for it.

Slowly, as the day progressed, they could feel themselves get more and more grounded in the present. Possibilities fizzed and snapped and popped and faded. There were faint visions of new bars and red cars and pie left to wait in a small, cozy room – of blood and dust and crossed-out photographs. All that, unstabilized and scrambled up into an unsure future.

Then, SAVEs popping and dissolving.

Just before walking out. Back to before their long walk around the Underground, talking to everyone patiently even though they knew everything by heart. Before the fight with Asriel. In True Lab, before matchmaking, following Asgore to fight him, getting ready to face Mettaton, suddenly all the way back to just before the fight with Undyne, faster and faster and faster as it neared the start it all detached and dissolved into mere memories.

Were they sure?

Yes.

The only thing left was that bubble of darkness. The moment before Frisk woke up after their fall. Somehow the nothingness had always been comforting: a clear break between this life and the one before. Frisk felt another layer on top of their nostalgia. Something complex, a bit bitter but also a bit grateful.

Here it goes.

Let us erase this pointless world and move on to the next.

The last lingering effects of the Barrier dissipated in the air. All that matter and energy that hadn’t been able to leave its bubble finally mingled with the rest of the world and evened out.

There wasn’t a SAVE to reach. A RESET slipped from their grasp like a frightened animal.

Frisk was an ordinary human child again.

Well, close enough.

With a shaky breath they let go of Gerson's hand and rushed to the front, to Toriel. She didn't question it when they wanted to hold her hand.

It smelled of cinnamon, snails and love.

Everything was still in place. Frisk felt relieved. They could have faded again. It had happened before – every time they had tried to pry open the Barrier with just their determination and soul or knife and nails, all alone. Only this time they wouldn’t have had their anchor anymore. This time they could have faded into nothingness. Lost something important.

It's still me.

Frisk smiled. This was their ending. The one they had tried again and again and a g a i n to achieve, no matter the sacrifices, determined to find a way. It had never been enough. They had never had enough time. But now…

 

This ending wasn't perfect, far from it. It… might not even be happy.

But it was theirs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of Once Upon a Time. Thank you for reading, leaving kudos and commenting!
> 
> We will meet again in "Hopes and Dreams" in a week or two.
> 
> It'll start with "If I Were to Submerge This Town."

**Author's Note:**

> (For more content in the same 'verse, see my tumblr https://thiswholeblogisjustoneutfic.tumblr.com/ thank.)


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